Maryam · Makki · ayah 93 of 98

Maryam 19:93

إِن كُلُّ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّآ ءَاتِى ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ عَبْدًا

“There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.”

Saheeh International

Essence

Every being in the heavens and the earth, angel, prophet or king, comes to the Most Merciful in one capacity only: as His servant.

A reflection

No exceptions, not even the worshipped

There is no one in the heavens and the earth but comes to the Most Merciful as a servant. The sentence is built to leave nothing outside it. A legal commentary explains the grammar: the opening in is a negation, there is not, and illā, except, closes every door but one.

A theological commentary draws out who is included. Every object of their worship, in the heavens and on earth, angels and human beings alike, comes to the Most Merciful. It takes refuge with Him and shelters in His lordship, as a servant: yielding, obedient, humble and hopeful, as servants are. The beings people made into sons and daughters of God are in the line, as servants.

A narration-based commentary states the consequence. All creation are His servants. So none of them can be His equal, and none can be His child.

Now set the human ego beside that line. Every king who ever sat on a throne is in it. Every celebrity, every billionaire, every person whose name is on a building. The angels who never disobey are in it. The prophets are in it. Nobody arrives as anything else.

A legal commentary adds the picture of how they come: humbled, as another ayah says, all will come to Him, lowly (27:87).

That leaves very little for pride to do. The only choice a person has is how to come. Willingly, having practised the posture all their life, or arriving in it for the first time on that Day.

The full entry has 6 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.